Wednesday, 27 February 2019

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) is set to
impose a ban on the use of energy-guzzling appliances, a move that could leave
many families without their most treasured household electrical gadgets.

Zera is government’s energy regulator. Speaking during a
stakeholders’ workshop in Bulawayo yesterday, engineer Samuel Zaranyika said
the ban of heavy energy consuming appliances would save the country about 377
megawatts.

“The main benefit is that there will be reduction in energy
use. People are just using appliances which are not efficient and, after this
has been enforced, we expect people to use appliances that are energy
efficient,” he said.

“Why have we actually developed these regulations? There
are no efficiency appliances flooding the market. You and I all know it. There
is need for great investment in the electricity generation, so by using
energy-efficient appliances, we can actually create a virtual power station
through using the energy-efficient appliances.

“If we make a saving of 200MW, through the use of
energy-efficient appliances, it’s actually cheaper than putting up a 200MW
power station; and we don’t have the money.”

Currently, Zera is doing consultations across the country
with the intention of implementing the regulations on or before next year.

“Why these regulations? We want to increase the energy
efficiency of appliances, and we are going to set the minimum performance
standards,” he said.

Zaranyika said the regulations were being used by countries
such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Kenya and Ghana, among others.

“We want to increase the energy efficiency of the
appliances and eliminate less efficient models currently on the market. We want
to harmonise with other countries’ standards like South Africa and Japan so
that we prohibit imports of inefficient products,” he said.

But there were concerns from other stakeholders who felt
the move would deprive many citizens. Some suggested that Zera should invest more in energy
production than restricting people from using it, thereby losing revenue in the
process.

There were also suggestions that the authority should make
sure that all energy-efficient appliances were made affordable to encourage
uptake.

According to the proposed Electricity (Energy Efficiency of
Electrical Appliances) Regulations 2018, the regulations will apply to
electricity mains operated appliances manufactured, imported and donated for
use in the country.

No person shall import, manufacture, store, offer for sale,
sell, distribute, receive as a donation, or otherwise dispose of non-efficient
appliance, unless it complies with the minimum energy efficiency standard and
the energy performance requirement.

Any person who contravenes the provisions of the
regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding
level five, or in default of payment, imprisonment for a period not exceeding
six months or both such fine and such imprisonment. Newsday